Litany Prayer for Consecrated Life

Help your students learn about consecrated life with this prayer service.

by Jean Grant

Preparation

A litany is a type of prayer composed of several petitions. The “Kyrie” at the Mass might have been a litany in its earliest form. For our prayer today, the leader will read the names of some of those in consecrated life who have made an impact on our lives in the Church. Following the “. . .” all present should respond with the refrain: “Pray for us.” Gather at the prayer table where the creche or manger scene is displayed. The creche was first created in living form by St. Francis of Assisi and remains a treasured and prayerful reminder of the nativity scene in Bethlehem to this day.

Leader: Dear God, we live in a busy and noisy world. We are distracted by lights, gadgets, clothes, movies, music, technology, peer pressure, greed, and other temptations. We ask that you enlighten us and allow us to see the struggles and difficult choices made by those who have gone before us and their legacy left to us in consecrated life. Their examples span the globe, make brothers and sisters of us all, and give strength to our Church. Open our hearts to discern your will in our lives.

St. Peter, rock and foundation of the Church . . .All: Pray for us.
St. Augustine, Doctor of Grace and founder of the Augustinians . . .
St. Francis of Assisi, founder of the Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans) . . .
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, founder of the first female order in the U.S. . . .
St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, the first U.S. citizen canonized and founder of orphanages and schools . . .
St. Anthony of Padua, Doctor of the Franciscan Order . . .
St. Clare of Assisi, abbess of cloistered Franciscan nuns at San Damiano . . .
St. Rose of Lima, founder of the first monastery of cloistered nuns
in Lima, Peru . . .
St. John Baptist de la Salle, founder of the Congregation of Brothers of Christian Schools, teacher, and writer . . .
St. Rose Philippine Duchesne, member of Visitation nuns, Community of Religious of the Sacred Heart, and missionary . . .
St. Anselm, Doctor of the Church, Father of Scholasticism and Archbishop of Canterbury . . .
St. Vincent de Paul, founder of Congregation of the Mission (later Vincentians) . . .
St. Louise de Marillac, who worked closely with St. Vincent de Paul and was founder of the Daughters of Charity . . .
St. John Neumann, first Redemptorist to make religious profession in the U.S. and patron of universities . . .
St. Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church and patron of Catholic schools . . .
St. Scholastica, twin of St. Benedict, who consecrated herself to God early on with two loves human and divine . . .
St. Catherine of Siena, Doctor of the Church and co-patroness of Italy with St. Francis of Assisi . . .
St. Ignatius of Loyola, who had a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary, became a priest, and founded the Society of Jesus . . .
St. Jerome, Doctor of Sacred Scripture, whose monastic life allowed for meditation on Sacred Scripture . . .

All sing the “Canticle of the Sun” written by St. Francis of Assisi, or some other hymn meaningful for those in attendance.

Leader: Let us all close with the Sign of the Cross in honor of the Holy Trinity:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Source: Today’s Catholic Teacher, November/December 2014

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One thought on “Litany Prayer for Consecrated Life”

Would it be possible for us to publish a copy of the litany in our bulletin?

We will be praying for consecrated persons on February 3 & 4 after Mass. We will be praying the litany you have shared. Our Vocations Committee wants to know if it would be possible for us to publish it in our bulletin or on a prayer card to be passed out before Mass?
Please let me know soon!
Kathy